Wheel.



H. T. DUNBAR.

v WHEEL. APPu'cATAxoN man nov. 24A. 1914.

1 1 96,7 6 5 y Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

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WiTNEEnEnE.

7M... .Uf-m 75W H. T. .DUN/m. WHEEL. APPLICATION ILED NOV. 24, 1914.

l 1 96,76 5 v Patnted Sept. 5, 1916.

2 SHEETS*SHEET 2.

TTDRNEY5.

Ilm/ENTER UMTE anion.

HARRIS T. DUNBAR, 0F BUFFALO, NEI/V YORK. -I

WHEEL.

Specification of -Letters Patent.` Patented Sept 5, 1916,

Application led November 24,1914. Serial No. 873,733.

To all 'wlwm t may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRIS T. DUNBAR, a

citizen of the United States, residing at- Buifalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a wheel provided with means for causing its tire to obtain a better tractional engagement with the ground or surface over which the same runs and more particularly to a wheel of this type which is provided with interchangel able jaws which are yieldingly supported on the tire so as to permit different kinds of gripping jaws to be employed according to the season of the year or the conditions of the road on which the vehicle is used.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a wheel embodying my invention, the front side of the wheel being partly broken away to eX- pose the interior thereof. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section, on an enlarged scale, taken in line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section of the wheel, on an enlarged scale, taken in line 4 4, Fig. 2. Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are detached perspective views of different kinds of gripping jaws which may be used in the wheel. Fig. 9 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a clamp suitable for use in applying the gripping jaws to or removing the same from the wheel. Figs. 10 and 11 are elevations of this clamp viewed from opposite ends thereof.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

My improvements are applicable to wheels which may vary as to details of constructions but as shown in the drawings the same is applied to a duplex spring wheel having two rims which are arranged side by side on the hub and .flexibly connected with the hub'so as to be capable of yielding relatively thereto independently of each other. In its general organization the wheel as shown inthe drawings comprises a hub 1 provided at its rear end with a fixed clamping disk 2 and on the front end thereof an axially movable front clamping disk 3.

4, 5 represent two annular fellies arranged side by side, and each secured between the outer edges of two lside plates or webs 6,7 of disk-shaped form. The front j plate of the frontfelly bears against the rear side of the front clamping disk 3 while the rear plate ofthe rear fellybears against the front side of the rearl clamping disk 2. The inner edge of the rear plate of the front felly and the inner'edge of the front plate ofthe rear felly have secured thereto, respectively, two bearing rings 8, 9 which engage frictionally with each other. Between the inneredges of the side plates of each felly is arranged a spoke holder 10 which is mounted on the hub. In the space between the side plates of each pair isarranged an annular row of spring spokes 11 each of which is connected at its inner end with the spoke holderof the respective wheel section while its outer end engages with the inner side of the companion felly. The several clamping disk side plates, spoke holders and bearing rings are pressed against one another in a direction parallel with the aXis of the hub by means of a tension spring 12 of disk form surrounding the front end of the hub and bearing against the front clamping disk, `and a tightening screw nut 13 applied to the front end of the hub 'and engaging with the tension spring, as shown in Fig. 4. My improved gripping means are applied to the periphery of the felly of each of these wheel sections and in the preferred form the same are constructed as follows: On the periphery of each felly is mounted a tire vcomprising two annular sections or rings 14, 14 which are preferably constructed of metal and arranged side by side. secured to the companion felly in any suitable manner but as shown in the drawings this is accomplished by providing the felly at intervals with outwardly projecting couplin g lugs15 against opposite sides of which the tire sections are secured by means of fas tenings consisting preferably of rivets 16 each of which passes through the tire sec- These annular tire sections may be tions and one of the attaching lugs 15, as shown in Fig. 1 and at the right of Fig. 4.

At suitable intervals the inner side of each tire section is provided with a notch 17, the corresponding notches of both tire sections being arranged in pairs and transversely in line, so that together they form a plurality of sockets in the tire between the sections thereof. rllhe circumferentially opposite sides of each of these sockets receive gibs or wearing plates 18 each of which bridges the kjoint between the two tire sections and is provided at its inner end with a lug forming an outwardly facing shoulder 19 which engages with an inwardly facing shoulder 20 formed on the inner side of the tire, as shown in Fig. l.

Slidable radially in each of the sockets o-f the tire is a. jaw 21 which engages its circumferentially opposite sides with the companion gibs while its laterally opposite sides engage with the unlined sides of the socket arranged in a plane at right angles to the aXis of the wheel. At its inner end each of these jaws rests upon the central part of the tension spring 22 which is preferably constructed in the form of a leaf and arranged lengthwise between the tire sections and the felly and rests at its opposite ends on outwardly facing shoulders 28 formed on the coupling lugs 15 on opposite sides of the respective socket. Each of the jaws is retained in its socket by means of a transverse coupling opening 24 formed in the jaw and a retaining or stop pin or screw having a contracted cent-ral part 25 arranged within the central opening of the jaw, an enlarged screw threaded portion 26 arranged at one end of the pin and engaging in a correspondingly .threaded opening in one of the tire sections and an enlarged head 27 arranged at the other end of this pin and engaging with an unthreaded opening in the other tire section, as shown in Fig. 1 and at the left of Fig. 4. The opening in each gripping jaw is preferably round and considerably larger in the direction of the radius of the wheel than the diameter of the reduced central neck of the companion retaining pin, so that the gripping jaw is capable of a limited radial movement relative to the tire. In the normal position of each gripping jaw the inner side of its coupling opening 24 engages with the inner side of the retaining screw by reason of the outward pressure of the companion tension spring 22 against the inner end of the same and in this position of the gripping jaw its outer end projects beyond the periphery of the tire, so that this jaw upon engaging with the ground over which the same travels will obtain a firm grip thereon and increase .the traction of the wheel. As the gripping jaw engages the ground the same recedes more or less into the respective socket of the tire depending upon the load on the wheel but whenA the jaw is again lifted from thev ground during the rotation o-f the wheel the same is again projected beyond the periphery of the tire. The several jaws thus form a resilient support for the load on the wheel in addition to that furnished by the spring spokes interposed between the hub and the felly of the 1fespective wheel section.

TWhenever a gripping jaw becomes worn the same may be easily removed and replaced by a new one by lirst pressing the jaw inwardly so that itscoupling opening is aXiallyvin line with the threaded and unthreaded openings in the respective tire sections which receive the enlarged ends of the retaining screw after which this screw may be easily removed. A new gripping jaw may then be substituted for the worn one and the retaining screw again replaced for holding the new jaw in' place between the tire sections. Inasmuch as each gripping jaw engages with the contracted central part of its companion retaining or coupling screw the latter is prevented from becoming detached from the tire sections by the vibration of the wheel while in use.

1n order to facilitate the removal of a worn gripping jaw and the substitution therefor of a new one a clamping device is provided which is shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 and which is constructed and operated as follows: 28 represents a yoke adapted to project across the outer side of the tire sections and provided at one end with a fixed hook 29 which is adapted to engage with the inner side of one of the tire sections. 0n the other end of this yoke is pivoted an elbow lever 30 which is provided on its inner arm with a hook 31 adapted to engage with the inner side of another tire section while the outer arm thereof extends across the outer side of the adjacent tire and is provided with a screw threaded opening adapted to receive a clamping screw 32 for engaging the outer end of a gripping jaw. Upon tightening this clamping screw 32 the gripping jaw may be moved inwardly sufficiently to permit the respective retaining or coupling screw to be withdrawn, this movement of the clamping screw also vo-perating to hold the hooks 29, 31 against the inner sides of the respective tire `sections with which they engage. The retaining screw is free to be withdrawn from the ytire sections by constructing the hook 31 of the elbow lever in the form of a fork or bifurcation which has its prongs arranged on opposite sides of the retaining screw opening, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 10. After a new gripping jaw has been inserted in the respective socket of the tire the same may' be in likev manner forced inwardly by the clamping device against the resilience of the tension spring 22 until the opening of this gripping jaw is in the proper position to permit of introducing the retaining or coupling screw through the opening of this gripping jaw and the companion openings of the tire sections. The yoke o-f the clamping device is preferably provided with a plurality of pivot openings 33 which are arranged-in a longitudinal row on this yoke so that the pivot 34 of the elbow lever may be shifted on the yoke from one pair of pivot openings 33 `to an other for the purpose of lengthening this clamping device for operating on the gripping jaws when the wheel is provided with two fellies, as shown in Fig. 9, and also shortening the clamping device in order to permit of removing the gripping jaws from the tire and replacing the same by a new one in case the wheel has but a .single felly.

When the weather is comparatively dry and the roads are smooth the outer end of each gripping jaw may be provided with comparatively fine serrations or teeth 35, as shown in Figs. l and 5, inasmuch as this is suflicient under such conditions to produce the proper traction for effectively propelling the wheel. When the road over which the vehicle is to travel is muddy it is necessary for the gripping jaws to dig deeper into the soil in order to obtain the proper traction and at such times it is preferable to provide gripping jaws each of which has at its outer end a comparatively long tapering tooth 36, as shown in Fig. 6. -During wintertime when the ground is covered with snow or ice and therefore comparatively slippery gripping jaws are preferably employed each of which is provided at its outer end with a tooth 37 having a comparatively abrupt front side 38 and a sloping rear side 39 forming a sharp edge 40 between these sides which digs into the slippery surface and thereby increases the traction of the wheel.

1f desired, each of the gripping jaws may be constructed in the form of the letter U, as shown inA Fig. 8, the outer ends of the legs il of this last mentioned jaw forming gripping teeth and this jaw being retained in its respective socket in the tire by eX- tending the retaining screw of the tire across the bight of the arch or bow 42 vof this particular form of gripping jaw.

This improved wheel is particularly desirable for trucks intended to carry heavy loads under all kinds of weather conditions and as this construction permits of readily interchanging the gripping jaws it is possible to adapt the wheel quickly and readily to the weather conditions encountered during thedifl'erent seasons of the year and thus obtainl the maximum use of the vehicle.

I claim as my invention:

l. A. wheel comprising a felly provided on i-ts outer sidey at intervals with lugs, ay

tire body mounted on the felly and provided at intervals with sockets, gripping aws sliding in said sockets, and means for projecting said jaws comprising leaf springs each of which rests at its ends on a pair of said lugs and engages intermediate of its ends with the inner end of one of said jaws.

2. A wheel comprising a felly, a tire body mounted on the felly and provided at intervals with sockets, gripping jaws sliding in said sockets and each having a transverse opening, retaining pins mounted on the body and each arranged in the opening of one of said jaws, and a plurality of tension springs each of which engages one of said jaws for projecting the same.

3. A wheel comprising a felly, a tire body mounted on the felly and provided at intervals with sockets, gripping jaws sliding in said sockets and each having a transverse opening, a plurality of retaining pins each of Which has a reduced central part arranged within the opening of one of said jaws, an enlarged threaded part engaging with the threaded opening in the tire body on one side of the jaw and an enlarged unthreaded part engaging with an unthreaded opening in the tire body on the opposite side of the jaw, and springs for projecting the jaws. j

4. A wheel comprising a felly, a tire body mounted on said felly and provided with a circumferential row of sockets, gibs arranged on the circumferentially opposite sides of each socket, a gripping jaw arranged in each socket and engaging with said gibs, and a spring for projecting each jaw.

5. A wheel comprising a felly, a tire body mounted on said felly and provided `with a circumferential row of sockets, gibs arranged on the circumferentially opposite sides of each socket, and each gib having an outwardly facing shoulder which engages an inwardly facing shoulder on the adjacent part of the tire body, a gripping jaw arranged in each of said sockets and engaging said gibs, and a spring for projecting each of said jaws.

6. A wheel comprising a felly, a tire body having two ring-shaped sections which are arranged side Iby side on said felly and have their opposing sides provided with notches corresponding pairs of which form a plurality of sockets, gripping jaws sliding in said sockets, and springs for projecting said jaws.

7 A wheel comprising a felly, a tire body having two ring-shaped sections which are engaging between said tire body sections, 10 arranged side by side on said felly and have and fastenings extending through said body their opposing sides provided with notches sections and said lugs.

corresponding pairs of which form a plu- Witness my hand this 23rd day of Novem- 'f rality of sockets7 gripping jaws sliding in ber, 1914.

said sockets, and springs for projecting said HARRIS T. DUNBAR.

jaws, and means for connecting said felly Witnesses: Y

and tire body sections comprising lugs ar- THEO. L. Porr,

ranged on the periphery of said felly and E. M. GRAHAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

